Defining Attitude

Feelings toward some object, person, or idea.

Reflect underlying differences in the extent to which we feel positive or negative (or both) about an attitude object.
Thus, attitudes reflect a positive, negative, or mixed evaluation of a person, object, or idea expressed at some level of intensity.

Utilitarian function Ego-defensive function Knowledge function Value-expressive function

 Cognitive componentwhat we know, or think we know, about the attitude object. Affective componentthe feelings a person has toward

an attitude object.
Behavioral tendency componentthe way an individual is inclined to behave toward an attitude object.

Attitudes develop over time and are resistant to change.

Affective Component

Cognitive Component Attitude

Behavior Toward Attitude Object

Behavioral Tendency

Component

Reprinted from Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Vol. 50, Professor Ajzen, pp. 179-211. Copyright (c) 1991, with permission from Elsevier.

 Do

changes in our behaviors produce changes in attitude? Various evidence supports the contention that our behaviors come to alter our attitudes.
Role Playing (Zimbardo, 1971) The foot-in-the-door phenomena (Cialdini)
Several

theories suggest that our behaviors can determine our attitudes

Cognitive Dissonance Theory Self-Perception Theory Self-Affirmation Theory Impression Management Theory

Dissonance Classic: Festinger & Carlsmiths (1959) Boring Task Study A counterattitudinal action produce changes in how participants really feel
Being

paid $1 or $20 to tell others that a boring task was actually interesting alter how enjoyable the participants found the boring task

 Compliance Internalization Identification

Self-Perception Theory
Self-Perception Theory (Bem, 1972): Selfpersuasion through observation of own behavior (i.e., inferring our attitudes based on attribution processes)

 Dissonance

situations create a threat to the self which can be resolved by affirming or revalidating ones integrity.
The affirmation can occur in a non-dissonance related

area!!!

Impression Management Theory

What

matters is not a motive to be consistent but rather a motive to appear consistent to others (i.e., self-presentation concerns to appear socially desirable).

 Three

major job attitudes

Job Satisfaction Job Involvement Organizational Commitment

 Positive

feeling about a job resulting from evaluation Job Involvement Degree to which employee relates to their jobs Organizational Commitment A state in which employee identifies with organization and its goal

 Motivators Hygiene
Active Voice

Exit Destructive Neglect

Constructive Loyality

Passive

1. The work itself 2. Pay 3. Growth and upward mobility 5. Coworkers 6. Working Condition

4. Supervision

Job Satisfaction and Productivity Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism Job Satisfaction and Turnover